Replacing a Dodge Neon Cam Sensor

There are a lot of parts inside a car. The Dodge Neon is no different, and if you are concerned about your camshaft position sensor, follow the steps below to replace it. A camshaft position sensor, also called a cam sensor, is used to help monitor which pistons are operating and when in the engine. It may not be a part you think of that often, but you should get it replaced if it is faulty or broken.

Directions

1

Get a New Sensor

Shop around at auto parts dealers to find a replacement cam sensor. You can’t get just any sensor though; you need one made specifically for a Dodge Neon in order to repair a Dodge Neon.

2

Find Some Tools

You don’t need many tools to do this repair, luckily. You will need to get a socket wrench set, and a paint scraper.

3

Prepare Your Car

You need to have your car in a safe position to start the repair. Park it on even ground with the parking brake engaged to make sure it stays in place.

4

Disconnect the Battery

Under the hood, you should be able to find the battery easily. Take your socket wrench to the part where the black cord connects to the battery and disconnect that cord.

5

Remove the Air Filter

Remove the clips that hold the filter in place, and then pull the filter out. Remove the air hose from the intake as well by removing the necessary clips. You will also need to remove the bracket that once held the air filter in place. To do this, you will need to disconnect a few bolts.

6

Find the Sensor

The object in question for this repair may be a bit difficult to find. If you have your owner’s manual handy, you should be able to find it through that easy enough. If you don’t, you should be able to find it where the air filter had been; it looks like a small black box. You can’t remove the bolts that hold it in place yet, though.

7

Disconnect the Wires

You will need to pull apart two halves of the electrical connector while pressing the tabs down in order to disconnect them. This will sever the sensor from all electrical connections, and allow you to put the next sensor in.

8

Remove the Bolts

Unbolt the sensor from its resting place. When the sensor is free, lift it off and out. It is now time to make the replacement.

9

Clean the Engine

There may be residue left from the old sensor’s attachment. This is where the paint scraper becomes useful. Use the scraper to take off any parts of the gasket that may have been left behind.

10

Put in the New Sensor

The same way the old came out, the new goes in. Attach the new sensor to the car by bolting it in. Be sure that the sensor is in the same position that the old one had been in.

11

Reconnect Everything

As always with auto repairs, put everything back the way it came in the opposite order. This means the wires need to be reconnected first, and then you should replace the entire air filter system parts, also in reverse order.

The cam sensor may not be the oldest and most vital of parts in a car, but most modern cars have them. The cam sensor works to track the moving parts of the engine, and can tell you when something is wrong. There may be a lot to do to get this repair done, but you should do it just the same. A new Dodge Neon cam sensor will run you about $20-50, depending on the year of the car.